Saturday, March 31, 2012

Trade unions reject new pay rules


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By JULIUS SIGEI jsigei@ke.nationmedia.com 
Posted  Friday, March 30  2012 at  20:09
Giant trade unions are up in arms over new regulations that will govern a review of salaries for civil servants and teachers.
They termed a move by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to exclude trade unions from future pay negotiations as unacceptable.
At a meeting with representatives of public agencies on Friday, commission chairperson Sarah Serem said she will only negotiate with employers.
Trade unions will only offer their views and negotiate with respective employers, she said.
“Ours is an advisory role. Unions will still negotiate with the employer, but we will come in and see whether what the employer is offering is sustainable and competitive,” said Ms Serem.
But representatives of the Kenya Union of Civil Servants, Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education (Kuppet) rejected the move.
Kuppet chairman Akello Misori told the commission that teachers wanted the place of the unions clearly stipulated in the regulations.
“Our concern is that we have been left out of this important commission and we wonder what our place will be in negotiating better terms for our members,” said Mr Misori.
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The unions also raised concerns with the fate of collective bargaining agreements currently in place.
“We demand that they go back to the drawing board and come back with a more acceptable and inclusive document.
“What will happen to the agreement that we have?” asked Uasu secretary general Muga K’Olale.

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